The protests which have led to an uprising of the people in Egypt have given new hope to democracy taken root in the Arab world. Admittedly the protests in Egypt and the response by the government seems to have been fairly peaceful to date. The military does not appear to have taken up arms against the protesters who wish to end the three-decade reign of President Hosni Mubarak. Although such is not all that surprising when you consider the very fact that the Egyptian military is largely paid for by the American government. Why a country with a $13 trillion deficit is financing the militaries of foreign governments is an altogether different issue. So let’s just leave it on the table hidden under a napkin and move on for now.
United States President Barack Obama and his administration have reportedly been discussing with Egyptian officials a variety of proposals to create a transitional government and remove Mubarak from office immediately. The odds are those discussions have been fairly one sided with the Obama administration calling for the immediate removal of Mubarak and elevation of their choice as the new president. My personal opinion is that such discussions are a mistake. And not a small mistake at that. (continue reading…)